Verdicts and Settlements

$60.9 Million Verdict for Brain-Injured Baby

Led by partner Deborah J. Gander, the firm in 2005 obtained $60.9 million in injury compensation, the largest amount ever awarded in a Federal Tort Claims Act case in the country. Federal Judge Jose A. Gonzalez found the Obstetrics Clinic in Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida, liable for medical negligence in the delivery of a brain-injured baby.

Our class action team achieved a $100 million settlement from Service Corporation International (SCI), a national funeral company, and its subsidiary, Menorah Gardens Cemetery. The case alleged that the companies buried families in the wrong graves, and the company agreed to compensate for the families’ grievances and provide in-kind services.

Lion Air Flight 610 Update: Investigators Release Preliminary Crash ReportOn October 29, 2018, a Lion Air flight traveling from Jakarta, Indonesia to Pangkal Pinang crashed into the Java Sea after experiencing a flight control problem minutes after departure. There were no survivors. The Republic of Indonesia’s Komite Nasional Keselamatan Transportasi (KNKT) recently published a preliminary report about Lion Air ...

NHTSA Investigates General Motors Over Faulty Braking SystemAccording to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), more than 2.7 million General Motors (GM) vehicles could be affected by deteriorating brake assist vacuum pumps. After receiving 111 complaints about 2014, 2015 and 2016 truck and SUV models, NHTSA has launched an ...

Marriott Discloses 500 Million Guests Affected by Starwood’s Database HackAccording to Marriott’s press release, Starwood’s guest reservation database was hacked. On September 8, 2018, Marriott International received an internal alert about an unauthorized user attempting to access the Starwood guest reservation database. Since then, investigators found copied and encrypted information from an authorized user. ...

How Much Damage Can A Sleepy Trucker Cause?

Large powerful engines, gigantic trailers, and tons of cargo make semi-trucks some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Their size can carry several risks for cars on the road near them, so the drivers of these vehicles have to be extra cautious while hauling a load. However, drivers can be pushed too far and accidents can happen…

How Much Damage Can A Sleepy Trucker Cause?

It was early on November 30th when a truck driver out of Fresno, California was hauling a load along eastbound Interstate 10. Authorities aren’t clear on how long this Fresno man had been behind the wheel, but at around 5:08 a.m. near mile marker 83, the man fell asleep at the wheel.

He immediately went off road, woke up and tried to correct his course. The sudden movement was too much for the vehicle, and the 18-wheeler overturned and crashed across all the eastbound lanes of I-10. A Hummer driving next to the truck was able to veer left just in time to avoid being crushed under the toppling big rig, but it wasn’t able to stop before colliding with the trailer’s underside. Another trucker—trying to avoid the crash—jackknifed his hauler right before another big rig slammed on its brakes and was struck from behind by another truck.

Miraculously, everyone involved in this crash walked away with only minor injuries, but the results could have been far deadlier. As single mistake from one truck driver caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, but why did this trucker fall asleep at the wheel?

Driver fatigue has been a constant problem for trucking companies that keep pushing their drivers to make tighter deadlines over longer distances, but people are fighting to keep our roads safer and improve conditions for truck drivers. For more information, keep following our blog and look for updates on our Twitter and Facebook pages.

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(*) Disclaimer: All verdicts and settlements listed here are gross amounts before deductions for attorney fees and costs. Past results do not guarantee similar results in the future. Most cases result in a lower recovery. It should not be assumed that your case will have as beneficial a result.